News

Carers take to stage for Lavington fundraiser

A Youth Action Wiltshire garden party at West Lavington Manor was a big success with young carers taking centre stage and making sensational music.

The young carers performed with West Country artist Michael Fairfax, who creates amplified sounds from sculpture, last Friday evening. Mr Fairfax makes his own instruments from wood, string and wire and uses them to create works of joyful and evocative sound.

He said: “The young carers came to me with no experience at all in experimental music and certainly not of the instruments I had made.

“We spent about an hour rehearsing, me trying to work out who was better on what and what noises they might make on the instruments. One of the carers proved to be brilliant on my strung ‘wedge’ instrument and the others were excellent as well.

“We played for 15 minutes improvising and mixing the sound to an audience of 100 plus. The sun shone and applause rang out at the end. Many people came over to congratulate the young carers on their performances.”

The fundraising event was part of the Mood of Summers 1914 to 2014 Sculpture in the Park event at West Lavington Manor running until June 22, which showcases around 20 sculptors working in bronze, stone, metal and other mediums.

Youth Action Wiltshire is also holding an online silent auction until June 23, where people can bid for artworks.